1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of thinning fruitlets or fruits, and, in particular, to a non-chemical method of thinning fruit. Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide new and improved methods of such character.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art techniques for thinning fruitlets or fruits generally involved either hand thinning or the use of chemical growth regulators, such as Sevin, Vydate, ethrel, gibberellic acid, and naphthaleneacetic acid.
Chemical regulators that have been used by growers have not met their requirements of reasonable cost and practicability of application. Moreover, they tended to exhibit variable thinning response and often produced adverse side effects on fruits, and subsequent tree growth and development. Hand thinning and/or hose plus hand thinning has been time-consuming and very expensive, and it was often done at a time when return bloom could no longer be influenced.
3. Information Disclosure Statement
As a means of complying with the duty of disclosure set forth in 37 CFR 1.56, the following is a listing of patents and publications which may be pertinent. This statement shall not be construed as a representation that a search has been made or that no better art exists.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,060,933 Prakash G. Kadkade 12/6/77 4,109,414 Prakash G. Kadkade 8/29/78 ______________________________________
The patentee of the foregoing patents is the applicant of this invention.
Kadkade, U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,933, discloses a method for stimulating organogenesis of explants in a tissue culture by illuminating the explant during at least a portion of its differentiation stage with light having a predominant spectral emission at a wavelength at approximately 660 nm.
Kadkade, U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,414, discloses a method for controlling abscission of plant parts by illuminating the plants during the night period with light having a wavelength selected from the group consisting of wavelengths in the order of 420 nm, 550 nm, 660 nm, and 740 nm.
The following publications may be of interest to the reader:
Byers, E. K. 1978: Chemical thinning of spar `Golden Delicious` and `Starkrimson Delicious` with Sevin and Vydate. Hortscience 13 (1), 59-61.
Rogers, B. L. and Thompson, A. H. 1969: Chemical thinning of apple trees using concentrate sprays. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 94, 23-25.
Cibulsky, R. J. 1979: Thinning effects of GA.sub.3 and ethephon on six peach varieties. PGWG Proceedings 6, 173-179.
Sefick, H. J. 1975: Hand thinning of peaches. The peach, ed., by N. F. Childers. pp. 270-275.
Buchanan, D. W., Biggs, R. H., Blake, J. A. and Sherman, W. B. 1970: Peach thinning with 3-CPA and ethrel during cytokinesis, J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 95, 781-784.
Stenbridge, G. E. and Gambrell, C. E. 1971. Thinning peaches with bloom and postbloom applications of 2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid. J. Amer. Hort. Sci. 96 (1), 7-9.
Fortes, G. R. and Ducrouet, H. J. 1979. Effect of some growth regulators as affecting fruit thinning in Cascuta nectarine. PGRWG Proceedings 6: 242-249.